Snapshots
by ZGory
Summary: Some random moments of bonding between Thor and kid Loki.


**A/N**: Another kinkmeme prompt asking for fluffy cuddles between Thor and kid Loki. I spit these all up before Everything Burns began so absolutely no comic spoilers. Essentially this is everything I wish could have happened had things like Thor dying or Thor being negligent hadn't happened. I am a sucker for fluff.

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**I. Movie Night**

"Let's get this movie night started!" proclaims Clint with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a six-pack in the other. He then stops short upon seeing that there are no available seats left. Then he sees how this is possible.

"Hey! You stole my spot!"

Loki feigns innocence while looking up at him from between his brother and Natasha. "I do not see how that can be as I did not see your name engraved anywhere." He looks around at the cushion before giving Clint a big shit-eating grin.

Clint glowers at him and is ready to plop in front of the kid with the intention of blocking his view when Thor resolves the situation. With a gracious grin to the archer, the thunder god lifts his brother off the cushion and seats him on his own lap. Then he pats the now unoccupied seat.

"Now you both have improved seating, and we may commence."

Clint doesn't hesitate to nod gratefully at Thor before settling down. Loki, though, squawks and squirms in his new position.

"I fail to see how this is an improved view," complains Loki.

"Well seeing how this is horror night, and you insist on joining us," explains Tony, "it's probably best for you to have your own personal comfort pillow in the shape of an overprotective big brother."

The kid gives him a withering look and leans over to snatch the packet of Milk Duds from his lap. He clutches them close to his chest and presses closer to Thor's chest as if daring Tony to snatch them back. As if to further prove a point, Thor closes an arm around his brother.

Tony mutters something about just proving his point before pulling out a box of Junior Mints and gulping those down.

**II. Transportation**

"This is unnecessary. I am quite able of walking on my own."

Thor ignores his brother and continues to stride forward with his brother in his arms.

Loki tries to push out but winces as pain shoots through his leg. "I can manage hobbling to the healing rooms just fine," he says airily hoping to disguise his discomfort.

"Not on that leg," comments Thor brusquely. "Now cease your fidgeting lest you agitate it any further."

The mini-trickster crosses his arms and tries not to pout. If his injury had come about from some brutes or an adventure gone wrong or any number of exciting things then he would still fight Thor's doting on the outside while enjoying it on the inside. As his injury resulted from something as uninspired as falling from a high wall and landing wrong, embarrassment fills his whole being, and he would prefer to not be the focus of Thor's attention at the moment.

He feels he is too old to be treated like such a child. He readjusts for no reason only to hiss once again at the discomfort it brings him. Thor's hold tightens, and he looks down at him with a knowing look.

Loki sighs and tries to remain stiff but that is tiring after so long, and he eventually settles in. He grudgingly concedes that it is not so bad a position to be in, and he can trust that his brother will not drop him. It is nice to have something solid in his life right now, even if it is just the strength of Thor's arms.

When they finally arrive at the healing rooms, Thor continues to hover as Loki's leg is patched up. It is mended within the hour, and afterwards jumps on to his bed and motions for Thor to turn around. The thunderer looks at him skeptically but finally does as instructed.

Without any further hesitation, Loki jumps on to his back, and Thor's arms automatically move to steady him.

"I thought you were capable of walking yourself?" asks Thor teasingly.

"I am not completely adverse to this method of transport," replies Loki. "Now onward!" He moves his legs to spur his brother, and with a laugh Thor complies.

**III. Story Time**

"And the three were forever condemned to the darkest, most foul pits of Muspelheim to never be heard from again—" Thor blinks as he silently rereads the last sentence to himself. He glances between the book and his brother who is fighting to stay awake.

"You have the most unusual taste in literature," comments Thor. "I would not have pegged this particular tale as one fit for telling before sleeping."

"It's all in the telling, brother," says Loki drowsily as his bright, green eyes are finally concealed by his eyelids.

Thor closes the book to put it aside and smoothes down his brother's hair with a fond smile. "If that were so, little one, then you would have been more suited to tell the tale."

Loki smiles softly and nestles his head into his pillow. "True as that may be, variation is the spice of life." He releases a big yawn and swipes at his eyes which remained closed. "And your voice contains its own soothing properties," confesses the child quietly as he finally drifts off to sleep.

Thor remains by his bedside a little longer to watch over his slumbering brother. He paints such a peaceful image in his sleep. With a sigh, he smoothes his brother's hair back one last time before kissing him on the forehead.

"Sleep well, brother."

**IV. Reunited**

As the dust clears from the skirmish, Thor pants heavily and frantically looks around the room. Before the attack on the tower, his brother had been seated right next to him. At the initial blast, he had thrown himself over Loki as a shield and then ordered him to go to safety as strange robotic creatures climbed into the newly created hole.

Thor had then gotten caught up in the flurry of battle. The captain and Hawkeye soon appeared to fight off the robots. It was not a hard fight, and it was as Thor smashed the last creature beneath his hammer that he heard a familiar cry and a shattering of glass. Assessing that the sounds did not emanate from anyone in the room, he hurries to the enlarged hole in the side of the building, and his body goes rigid from what he sees.

It appears the attack was a diversionary tactic as Thor angrily spots Doctor Doom taking off with his unconscious brother tucked beneath his arm. His hammer already spins furiously in hand as he is ready to pursue the Latverian ruler when an arrow goes whizzing by his ear and successfully lodges into Doom's neck before any sort of shield could go up. The metallic figure (which he now figures was a Doombot) spastically convulses and unhands its burden as a result.

Thor has already flown out the window at this point and snatches his brother up before he can make an indent in the sidewalk far below. He touches down on a roof just as another blur of scarlet and gold zooms by signaling that Tony has joined the fray to now deal with the cleanup.

He stands his brother up, and Loki is now fully alert but with a nervous twitching, jerky movements, and frenzied breathing. He can barely get a sentence out and babbles random words. His inability to focus can most likely be attributed to whatever power surge the Doombot faced.

Thor kneels to be the same level as him and firmly cups his brother's face with his hands. "Breathe, brother. You are safe. You are well. The threat has been dealt with."

Loki's eyes finally make contact with Thor's and latch on as if afraid of him disappearing. Thor can empathize as he had just felt the same fear moments ago. As if to make sure this truly is his brother and not an illusion, he gathers the trembling Loki to his chest and fiercely hugs him. Not so tightly so as to cut off his air supply but tight enough so as to make sure nothing in any of the realms could pluck him from his arms in this moment.

He feels Loki's choppy breaths on his shoulder and rubs the child's back reassuringly. He continues to chant, "You are safe. You are safe. You are safe."

The small head rests on his shoulder, and his breathing eventually evens out. Even so, Thor continues his chant almost for his own sake at this point. Finally, arms snake around his neck and squeeze as if to confirm that yes, Loki feels safe.

**V. Nap Time**

Jane walks into the "living" area (so named because of the presence of a couch) of her building and looks around for Thor and his brother. "All right you two. The guest room is all set up and—" The rest of her words die in her throat as Darcy shushes her with a finger to the lips and a frantic gesturing at the lone couch.

"I think they've figured out their own sleeping arrangements," comments her intern in a hushed whisper.

Jane peaks over the couch and has to suppress the happy sound that emanates from her mouth. After having flown to New Mexico from New York on an actual airplane, the time difference had taken its toll on the two brothers. They had both fallen asleep on the couch. Thor's legs stuck out past the armrest due to his height. Loki was perched on top of him and using his broad chest as a pillow. Both have an arm hanging off the edge of the couch, but Thor also has a hand protectively cradling Loki's head. Their breathing is out of synch with Thor's breaths going on longer than his brother's, but both have their mouths slightly parted as soft sounds come out of them.

With a smile, Jane takes a nearby blanket and drapes it over the sleeping brothers.


End file.
